The present invention relates generally to grain bins and more particularly to a grain viewing and sampling device for a grain bin.
One of the problems associated with the use of grain bins is the one of determining the condition of the grain within the grain bin. There are various ways of determining the condition of the grain within the grain bin, the most common of these methods including the step of taking samples of the grain from within the bin. These samples may be taken in various ways and have been taken through an opening in the top of the grain bin. In such a sampling situation, however, it is important to get more than just the surface grain in order to get a representative sample. Another way of attempting to get a grain sample is to merely open a side grain bin door and then attempt to take a sample therefrom. Once a grain bin door is open, however, the grain, of course, tends to flow out rapidly at an uncontrollable rate. This general problem was recognized long ago when it was desired to scoop shovels full of grain from a grain bin without having excess grain flow out of the grain bin during such a removal operation. U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,208,075, 1,217,424 and 1,417,316 are directed to solving this latter problem, for example.
In a modern day grain bin, however, large grain discharge doors are not needed, since augers are normally used to remove the grain from these bins. There is consequently no longer a real need for the rather complicated door devices of the art for discharging grain with a shovel. It is for this apparent reason that grain bin doors of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,184,805 have been developed.
There is, however, still a need to be able to view, examine, and test a representative sample of grain in a grain bin. Accordingly, some type of a simplified, yet versatile structure is desirable for this purpose. It is because of this above enunciated need that the present invention was developed.